Harlequins fly-half Ben Botica will be watching Saturday's Test at Twickenham carefully and isn't ruling out a future with either team.
As a former New Zealand Schoolboy, who spent his childhood in England, Botica qualifies to play for both countries.
The talented 23-year-old may be an understudy to fellow Kiwi star Nick Evans at the Stoop, but that hasn't stopped Botica winning many an admirer in his brief Premiership appearances this season.
And while the All Blacks' number 10 jersey seems to be the permanent possession of Dan Carter, the same can't be said of the Red Rose equivalent - something Botica is well aware of.
"I'm keeping my eye on the Tests, hoping the lads can win," said the Takapuna-born star.
"I have a few mates in the English team now but my heart is still with NZ. I just don't know about the future. I have just started playing for Harlequins in the Premiership.
"The possibility of playing for England has come up, but I'm just going to keep on playing for Harlequins and just play the best I can and if an opportunity like that arises you face them when they come to you."
Botica lived in Wigan and Llanelli as a youngster with dad Frano starring for the Welsh club and rugby league outfits Wigan Warriors and Castleford Tigers, earning a UK passport in the process.
But the former North Harbour back admits the level of skill in the northern hemisphere has surprised him since his return to these shores at the start of the season - with the subsequent improvement in his game propelling him into contention for Quins' first XV.
"Coming here I'm just amazed at the amount of skill not just the back line has, but the forwards have," said Botica.
"In reality when you come up here you realise it's all to do with skill, and they put a lot more emphasis on skill here than they do down south.
"With Harlequins there is a lot of technical and skill-based stuff, and it's helping my game tremendously. Coming over here it's just revitalised my career, and I'm loving it."
With a club legend like Nick Evans in front of him, however, Botica is happy to bide his time and learn from the best, allowing the future to look after itself.
"Nick is getting old now - if he doesn't mind me saying - and he's just so good he knows the game so well he knows it in and out," revealed Botica.
"Having him at the club is only going to make me better.
"He just makes thing easier, simple little things like kick-offs, bounces of the ball, how you drop the ball, things like that. He's such a good kicker and picking up things like that has helped me.
"I'm going to play here the best I can and maybe one day I may go back to NZ or not, you never know what will happen here, so I'm just going to keep playing and doing what I love doing."
Comments
passtheball says...
When he says "its all about skills up here" - remember he used to play for North Harbour - hardly a team exuding skills.
His Dad spent most of his time on the bench watching Grant Fox kick endless penalties and finally gave up - much like Evans - and played UK league, where the money was in those days.
Ben looks a talent but no S15 team seemed to want him in NZ - its tough getting recognised. Piers Francis, now back in the UK, had the same problem.
Posted 09:29 08th December 2012
melkdave says...
He is a very talanted player,and im sure whateverhe decides,that country will be happy
Posted 18:17 06th December 2012
jestnation says...
Is it just my imagination or has everyone ignored the most startling part of this article.
"In reality when you come up here you realise it's all to do with skill, and they put a lot more emphasis on skill here than they do down south.
Really?
If that's the case the management at Quins are doing something a bit special and should be applauded.
Posted 12:31 05th December 2012
olepete says...
Bones7, sorry to correct your remark about many of the current ABs being born and raised abroad, the only member of the current team not born in NZ is 3rd choice scrum half Tawera Kerr-Barlow, who has a NZ mother and was born in Oz, but he went to school in Hamilton, NZ, where I believe he still lives. On the other hand I think the current system of residence qualification is perfectly ok.
Posted 17:05 03rd December 2012
Bones7 says...
@AbdelBenazzi - what a load of rubbish. Manu represented England through the age groups. He is representing the town and country he grew up in, I'm sure he could pretty much play wherever he wants but he has stayed true to those who put their hard work in to him. He has even won the Daily Mail cup with his school John Cleveland! You clearly don't know your stuff if you think he was frantically bundled here by the RFU in a desperate bid to make him an England international. I do feel Pacific Islanders do get a bit of a raw deal when it comes to representative rugby. People seem to assume that they have been dragged straight off a sunny Samoan beach by dastardly unions and press-ganged into service, completely forgetting that they could have been born and raised abroad, as with many of the current All Blacks, or spent pretty much their entire lives in a country like Toby Faletau and Mako Vunipola. Would Faletau feel more out of place representing Tonga than Wales, where he grew up and learnt his rugby? I certainly think so.
Posted 19:55 01st December 2012
trelawney says...
@Centre12 - Did you read the article or did you just skip through it picking up threads? Ben spent his early school days over here thereby earning himself a British Passport.
Posted 18:04 01st December 2012
lawynd says...
@AbdelBenazzi - you do of course realise that Manu *IS* one of Leicester's 'young talents'? He went to school in the city, graduated through the academy in the same way that Tom Croft, Ben Youngs and others did. This of course renders your point (if there even was one, besides laying into England) completely moot.
Posted 13:48 30th November 2012
ramm83 says...
@AbdelBenazzi - Clubs like Quins send out a great message to young english talent. In the context of a starting 15 Quins generally field 12-13 Englishmen. Hardly a bad message...
Posted 13:05 30th November 2012
Ramage says...
Centre12 Get used to the fact Botica can choose. He has the right to play for England or NZ and it is over to him to choose. Botica has decided to ply his trade in England because he was not going to make the Blacks whilst he was playing in NZ. Whether he would have if he had stayed in NZ, we will never know. Good on him if he does get selected for England it's still a big if. It just shows that NZ players are wanted everywhere. Samoa and Tonga will more and more gain players from NZ of Samoan and Tongan heritage as they decide to go for International recognition. I for one have no problem as this is quite within the rules. Whether it should be can be argued but we should be encouraging our players to play at the highest level. You wont find me trying to stop them or bleating like a tired worn out, rabid Stephen Jones about poaching lol.
Posted 11:12 30th November 2012
AbdelBenazzi says...
Two years ago, ManuSamoa Tuilagi was going to get kicked out of UK because of overstaying his holiday visa. His 5 other brothers played for Samoa. But he didn't want to miss out on a club pay day, English RFU desperate and ... match made in heaven. If Toulon had put a big contract in front of him he would now be in the French jersey. At least he wasn't a reject like Hape or Flutey or Waldrom (or Henry Paul or...) , but a real shame for Samoa - they have trouble enough already getting their players to turn out for them over and against the mighty dollar and club skullduggery. And a shame for England, who lurch from mercenary to mercenary (much like their clubs)... what message does that send to their young talent?
Posted 10:49 30th November 2012
lawynd says...
Um, Centre12, you do know that none of those three play for England any more, right? And that Ben Botica spent almost a decade growing up in the UK? Your 'little Englander' speech is really rather depressing.
Posted 09:47 30th November 2012
Centre12 says...
He should stay true to himself, the IRB need to sort this ongoing situation out, he may well qualify for England under the present IRB rules but he is a kiwi and should represent NZ if anyone and that is that. As an England supporter it is embaressing when the team sheet is read out and the likes of Hape, Flutey, Vainikolo are called out. Regarding Tuilagi and Vuinapola, I don't have a issue with as they moved over to England a kids and developed their rugby through the schoolbiy system, IRB GET A GRIP OF THIS SITUATION, soon the England team won't have any players that were born in England playing for them!!!!!!!!
Posted 05:54 30th November 2012
Manu99 says...
Good luck to you matey! If Evans was born Ozzie or English he would be challenging Carter for Worlds best 5/8 on International stage. So unfortunate for him to be born same time as Carter. Evans was a brilliant player whenever he put on the black jersey but Carter was a superstar already. On ya Botica, you're learning from one of the best.
Posted 23:57 29th November 2012
Manu99 says...
Good luck to you matey! If Evans was born Ozzie or English he would be challenging Carter for Worlds best 5/8 on International stage. So unfortunate for him to be born same time as Carter. Evans was a brilliant player whenever he put on the black jersey but Carter was a superstar already. On ya Botica, you're learning from one of the best.
Posted 23:57 29th November 2012
Startledwombat says...
Quins will get a reputation as the home for"shouldve been" all blacks.
Congrats to their talent spotters.
Posted 21:33 29th November 2012
sukkadoits says...
Would be awesome if he becomes a one team man, a future talisman for the Quins just as Nick Evans is now. If he bides his time, learns of the master, he can forge a great career for himself in the premiership. The rest will follow.
Posted 20:01 29th November 2012
ABlack says...
looking like England then.... BB wont get past Cruden& Barrett and Carter will be around until 2015. By then another few young gun 10's will be on the scene in NZ
Posted 17:49 29th November 2012